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Translation of abstract (English)

The problem of the theological foundation of believer baptism and infant baptism is especially given on the ecumenical level between churches who practice infant baptism and churches who do not acknowledge infant baptism as a legitimate form of Christian baptism. Here we are confronted with the problem of the validity of infant baptism. Only if infant baptism is acknowledged as a legitimate form of Christian baptism, the question of the preferability of infant baptism or believer baptism is posed. Until now no generally accepted approach has been found which could help to solve the difference that exists between churches of the Baptist tradition and churches who practice infant baptism. With this background given, in Part B of the dissertation, which follows the introduction (Part A), the author works out the differences on the problem of mutual baptismal recognition and asks for possible approaches for a solution using ecumenical documents with Baptist churches as dialogue partner on the on side and especially Lutheran and Reformed churches on the other. The problems which are mentioned in the ecumenical dialogues as well as the models of theological foundation of infant baptism and believer baptism which are hinted at in the ecumenical dialogues are further discussed and differentiated in Part C using selected Reformed, Lutheran and Baptist doctrines of baptism. The author�s own approach for a solution to the problem of the theological foundation of infant baptism and believer baptism as well the problem of mutual baptismal recognition, which is presented in Part D, combines a Trinitarian understanding of baptism with the concept of the process of Christian initiation.